Recent Texas Education Agency enrollment reports reveal that the student bodies of five North Texas school districts have changed markedly since 2016. The data, compiled by the Texas Tribune’s Schools Explorer, highlight how growth, migration patterns, and new housing developments are reshaping classrooms across the region.

Frisco ISD: Asian enrollment nearly halves the district

Frisco Independent School District, now serving 62,713 students at 76 campuses, reports that Asian students make up 44.9% of enrollment in 2026. That is a rise of 24 percentage points from a decade ago, when roughly one‑fifth of the district’s pupils were Asian. The shift is evident at the high‑school level as well. At Lone Star High School, White enrollment fell from 49.9% in 2016 to 33.4% in 2026, a drop of 16.5 points. Wakeland High School saw a similar trend, with White enrollment decreasing from 71.5% to 51.6% over the same period. The variation among campuses underscores that district‑wide figures do not predict the makeup of any single school.

Plano ISD: Declining total enrollment, rising Hispanic and Asian presence

Plano ISD’s total student count fell 19.4% between 2016 and 2026, leaving 43,979 students enrolled. Hispanic enrollment grew to 30.1%, up 6.3 points, while Asian students continue to represent a sizable share. At Plano East Senior High School, Asian enrollment reached 32.8% in 2026, a 5.9‑point increase. Plano West Senior High School reported 29.8% Asian enrollment, up 5.5 points. Some elementary and middle schools show even higher Asian percentages; Rice Middle School was 63.4% Asian in 2026, though that reflected a slight 2.5‑point decline from 2016. The data illustrate that Plano’s demographic shift is not a single‑direction trend but a blend of growth among multiple groups.

McKinney ISD: White enrollment declines across the board

McKinney ISD enrolled 23,823 students in 2026. White students accounted for 38.3% of the total, down 12.7 points from 2016. The three comprehensive high schools each show similar patterns: McKinney High School’s White enrollment dropped to 37.6% (down 10.9 points), McKinney North to 36.1% (down 13.7 points), and McKinney Boyd to 51% (down 13.4 points). These campus‑level figures reinforce the idea that district‑wide percentages mask significant variation among individual schools.

Celina ISD: Rapid growth and a changing racial mix

Celina ISD’s student body swelled 170% between 2016 and 2026, reaching 6,354 students. The White share fell 26 points to 40.6% of enrollment. At Celina High School, White students now represent 52.8% of the 1,519‑student body, down 17.2 points from a decade ago. The district’s youngest grades reflect the fastest change; Celina Early Childhood School was 54.3% Asian in 2026. Because the district is still expanding, the composition of future high‑school classes may differ from current trends.

Dallas ISD: Predominantly Hispanic with modest change

Dallas ISD remains the largest district in the comparison, with 134,308 students in 2026. Hispanic students comprise 71.2% of enrollment, up only 1.1 points since 2016. While the district’s overall Hispanic share has changed little, individual campuses vary. At W.T. White High School, Hispanic enrollment rose to 83.6% (up 6.1 points), whereas Lakewood Elementary reported 74% White enrollment in 2026, down 3.9 points. These differences illustrate that even within a district with a dominant demographic, schools can look quite distinct.

What the data mean for North Texas families

The enrollment figures demonstrate that demographic change in North Texas schools cannot be reduced to a single narrative. Frisco’s Asian enrollment surge, Celina’s rapid population growth, Plano’s balanced Hispanic and Asian increases, McKinney’s declining White share, and Dallas’s steady Hispanic majority each tell a different story. For parents, educators, and community leaders, understanding these trends helps inform decisions about school choice, resource allocation, and community engagement. While the data provide a clear snapshot of the past decade, they do not predict the exact composition of any individual school five years from now.

Original reporting: The Dallas Express — read the source article.